Shipping container for furniture or the like



y 4, 1965 T. w. FLYNN ETAL 3,181,768

SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR FURNITURE OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1963 IN VENTO Fly/WY R5 i .JLILHHM 7 Q m 4 h a z 4Q a a: A h ...I...:.+.....ML+- M13 UT r 2 a L m,

y 1965 T. w. FLYNN EIAL 3,181,768

SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR FURNITURE OR THE LIKE Filed July 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 0 $3 v rwms 1.14 am aneraw K sw/m Me 151 l United States Patent 3,181,768 SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR FURNITURE OR THE LIKE Thomas W. Flynn, Elmhurst, and Barton K. Smith, Wm-

netka, Ill., assignors to Weyerhaeuser Company,

Tacoma, Wash, a corporation of Washington Filed July 1, 1963, Ser. No. 291,878 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-23) This invention relates to a shipping container for packing and shipping bulky items such as furniture or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a shipping container or carton composed of three pieces and being constructed in a novel manner to provide for additional sturdiness.

Three-piece contour fitting boxes made of corrugated board have been used for many years in the furniture industry for shipping furniture or other bulky items. An example of the three-piece carton used in the prior art is shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 2,346,003 issued to C. B. Bishop. This type of folding carton for furniture or the like has been found to be deficient in that this type of carton is provided with recessed end constructions. These recessed end constructions have a number of structural weaknesses and cause trouble when elongated furniture articles, such as a davenport, is stood on its end. This would allow the heavy weight of the furniture item to crush the end and in many instances be ripped apart and the furniture therein marred.

An object of this invention is to provide a carton or the like for containing furniture or other bulky items with a tube-type body which will not crush at its end when the weight of furniture is applied thereto, with the end flanges of the end pieces turned inwardly to provide for additional strength for the carton.

Another object of this invention is to provide a threepiece shipping container for furniture or the like which can be easily assembled but yet be provided with structural sturdiness.

These and other objects and advantages will become manifestly clear to those skilled in the art when taken in conjunction with the following detailed description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the three-piece shipping container in its fully assembled position.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blank used to form the tube-type body.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the blank used to form the end sections of the tube-type body.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective, exploded view of the assembled shipping container with parts broken away to show internal details.

Referring now to the drawings in general, the assembled shipping container is generally indicated at 1 and is formed from three pieces of corrugated board. The tube-type body 68 is formed from a blank 2 having a plurality of cross score lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 which divide the blank 2 into a plurality of wall panels 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. The panel 2 is adapted to be folded along the cross score lines to form a tubular L-shape body 68. Positioned on each side of the blank 2 are optional score lines 19, 20 on the right-hand side of the blank 2 and score lines 21 and 22 on the left-hand side of the blank 2. The score lines 19, 20, 21, and 22 are to provide for varying widths of furniture or other items to be packed within body 68. Positioned in the center of the blank 2 is a tear-tape connected to a tear-tab 23 so that upon assembly of the blank 2 with furniture therein, such fumitur-e can be easily removed by simply pulling the tab 23 and tear-tape 10 to tear the shipping container 1 in two pieces.

3,181,768 Patented May 4, 1965 Referring now to FIGURE 3, the end section or end closure means 24 is shown. The end section 24 is provided with lower cross score lines 26, 27, and 28 and upper score lines 29, 3t), and 31. Also, the blank 24 is provided with vertical score lines 32, 33, and 34 on one side thereof and vertical score lines 35 and 36 on the other side thereof. These score lines form an end wall section 25. It should be noted that the score lines 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, and 36 are optional and can be eliminated if desired. The function of these score lines is to provide for varying widths and heights of furniture or the like to be packed within the container 1.

Below the score line 26 is provided an edge tab 37 and a pair of end tabs 41 and 42. The end tabs 41 and 42 are separated from the edge tab 37 by slots 49 and 50. The function of the slots 49 and 50 is to provide for ease in folding of the tabs 41 and 42 and edge tab 37. Above the score line 29 is provided an edge tab 39 and another end tab 43 which is separated from the edge tab 39 by a slot 51. Also, above the score line 29 is provided a reinforcing tab 45 separated from the edge tab 39 by a slot 52. The function of the reinforcing tab will be set forth hereinafter.

Immediately to the right of vertical score line 32 is provided another edge tab 38 and immediately to the left of vertical score line 35 is another edge tab 40.

A vertical score line 54 and a horizontal score line 55 are provided in the upper left-hand corner of the blank 24 that intersection each other. A diagonal out line 66 is provided between the intersection of the score lines 54 and 55 and extends up at an angle to a notched portion 48 which has been removed from the upper left-hand portion of the blank 24 to provide a reinforcing structure 70. V

The out line 66 therefore provides a swinging tab 46 which pivots or swings about score line 54 and also a folding tab 47 which folds or bends around score line 55. Above the tab 40 is provided another reinforcing end tab 44 which is separated from the folding tab 47 by a slot 53;

The folding tab 47 is provided with a first score line 56, a second score line 57 and a third score line 58 which separates the folding tab 47 into panel portions 59, 60, and 61.

Immediately below the score line 55 and approximately intermediate its ends is provided a hand hole 69 formed by cut 62 and is also provided with a pair of score lines 63 and 64 and a closure flap 65.

With the aforedescribed detailed structure of the shipping container in mind, the shipping container 1 is assembled in the following manner:

The end closure mechanism or structure 24 is first assembled by folding the edge tabs 40 and 38 along the score lines 35 and 32 at a angle with respect to the wall portion 25. The tabs 41 and 42 are then folded along score line 26 so that they are normal to the plane of the edge tabs 35 and 46. Then, the edge tab 37 is folded along score line 26 and the end tabs 41 and 42 are stapled to the tab 37 by staples 67.

With the edge tab 40 folded along score line 35, the reinforcing tab 44 is now folded along score line 55 to place one edge thereof approximately adjacent score line 55. The edge tab 43 is folded along score line 29 and the swinging tab 46 is folded along score line 56. The reinforcing tab 45 is folded along score line 29 and edge tab 39 is folded along score line 29 to be placed on top of the reinforcing tab 45 and end tab 43 and stapled thereto by staples 67.

The folding tab 47 is now folded along score line 55 and on top of the reinforcing tab 44 with the panel 59 resting on top of the reinforcing tab 44. The folding tab 47 is folded along score lines 57 and 58 to place the portion 69 of folding tab 47 adjacent the underside of the reinforcing tab Also, the folding tab 47 is folded along score line 56 to place the panel portion 61 adjacent the wall portion 25 and in this manner the portion 61 of folding tab 4? will cover the hand hole 69. The folding tab- 47 is now stapled to the reinforcing tab 44 with the panel 59, reinforcing tab 44, and panel 6%} adjacent to each other.

The end section or closure mechanism 24 is now completely assembled and ready for use. Moreover, another end portion blank 24 is provided and assembled in the same manner as noted above except that each tab is folded in the opposite direction and stapled together in the same manner so that one end section 24 can be placed within the tube body 68 on each end thereof with the tab portions 37, 33, 39, and 4% extending into the body portion as shown in FIGURE 4.

With the two end sections 24 assembled as set forth above, a piece of furniture, such as a davenport or the like, is first placed on top of the panel portion 12 of the blank 2 with the front section facing towards the panel portion ll. The assembled end sections 24 are placed on panel portion 12 of blank 2 and stapled thereto by simply stapling the portion 37 of the end sections 24 to the bottom portions 12. It should be noted that the edge portions 4% of the end sections 24 are facing towards the panel portions 11 of the blank 2. The blank 2 is folded along the score line 4 to place the panel 11 adjacent the edge tabs 4t? and stapled thereto. The blank 2 is folded along score line 3 to place the edge tab 18 above the furniture placed on scored blank 2.

Next, the blank 2 is folded along score line 5 to place the panel 13 adjacent the edge tabs 38 and the two portions of the panel are stapled together. The blank 2 is folded along score line 6 to place the panel portion 14* adjacent the edge tabs 39 on the end sections 24 and stapled thereto. The blank 2 is folded along score lines 7 to place the panel portion 15 thereof adjacent the swinging tab 46 and the two panel portions are stapled toget er. The blank 2 is folded along score line 8 and the panel portion 16 of blank 2 is placed on top of the panel portion 5?, reinforcing tab 44 of the end sections 24 and stapled thereto. Then end tab 17 is folded downwardly along score line 9 and placed adjacent the panel portion 11 on blank 2 and stapled thereto by the staples 67 as indicated in FIGURE 4.

it should be noted that the staples 67 are placed into the shipping container by a conventional retractable anvil stapler which is common in the art.

in its fully assembled condition with the furniture or other bulky item placed within the tubular body 68, such as set forth above, the laterally extending top portion of the shipping container, as indicated by 16, is reinforced to provide a sturdy construction by the panel portions 59, 6t and reinforcing tab 44 which are all stapled together to provide a unitary structure. Moreover, the longitudinally extending upper portion of the assembly 1 adjacent panel 14 is also reinforced by the reinforcing tab 45 which extends a distance into the tubular body 68. In this manner, the construction of the assembled shipping container with the furniture therein is reinforced in its weakest positions and also the tabs 37,

38, 39, and it along with tabs 25, swinging tab 46, and foldable tabs 47 with portions 59, so extend into the tubular body 68 to reinforce it in a proper manner. Moreover, the hand holes 69 are completely covered by the panel portion ll on foldable tab 47 so that dust or other debris will be prevented from finding its way into the assembly 1.

While specific details of a preferred embodiment have been set forth'above, it will be apparent that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will therefore be understood that what has been described herein is intended to be illustrative only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A three-piece shipping container, comprising: a generally L-shaped tubular body; a pair of end closure means for closing each end of said tubular body; each or" said end closure means having elongated edge tabs folded along score lines and extending into said tubular body; reinforcing means extending into said tubular body; said reinforcin means comprising a swinging tab folded along a vertical score line supporting the upper longitudinal portion of said L-shaped tubular body and a folding tab folded along a horizontal score line that intersects said vertical score line supporting the lateral portion of said L-shaped tubular body; said swinging and folding tab formed by a diagonal cut line extending between the intersection of said vertical and horizontal score lines and the upper end of said end closure means; said folding tab provided with first, second and third score lines forming two laterally extending panel portions positioned adjacent each other and another panel portion extending vertically downwardly along the inner surface of said end closure means.

2. A shipping container as set forth in claim 1 Wherein: said swinging tab is provided with a reinforcing tab on its upper end and separated from one of said end tabs by a slot and folded along a score line to support the upper longitudinal portion of said L-shaped tubular body.

3. A shipping container in accordance with claim 1 wherein: a reinforcing tab is provided on the upper end of one of said edge tabs adjacent to said folding tab and separated from said folding tab by a slot, said reinforcing tab folded along said horizontal score line and extending between said two laterally extending panel portions of said folding tab.

4. A shipping container in accordance with claim 3 with the addition of a hand hole below said horizontal score line and covered by said vertically extending panel portion of said folding tab.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,346,003 4/44 Bishop 206- 46 2,586,156 2/52 Ferguson 22945 2,751,964 6/56 Guyer 229-51 X 2,832,525 4/58 Cavin 2()646 X FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A THREE-PIECE SHIPPING CONTAINER, COMPRISING: A GENERALLY L-SHAPED TUBULAR BODY; A PAIR OF END CLOSURE MEANS FOR CLOSING EACH END OF SAID TUBULAR BODY; EACH OF SAID END CLOSURE MEANS HAVING ELONGATED EDGE TABS FOLDED ALONG SCORE LINES AND EXTENDING INTO SAID TUBULAR BODY; REINFORCING MEANS EXTENDING INTO SAID TUBULAR BODY; SAID REINFORCING MEANS COMPRISING A SWINGING TAB FOLDED ALONG A VERTICAL SCORE LINE SUPPORTING THE UPPER LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF SAID L-SHAPED TUBULAR BODY AND A FOLDING TAB FOLDED ALONG A HORIZONTAL SCORE LINE THAT INTERSECTS SAID VERTICAL SCORE LINE SUPPORTING THE LATERAL PORTION OF SAID L-SHAPED TUBULAR BODY; SAID SWINGING AND FOLDING TAB FORMED BY A DIAGONAL CUT LINE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE INTERSECTION OF SAID VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL SCORE LINES 